What are school hours?

The daily timetable for King’s College, Murcia is from 9:15 am to 4:30 pm.

How many pupils are there at King's College, Murcia?
Eventually there will be 750 pupils at the school, but currently classes run from Pre Nursery up to Year 10 with Year 11 opening in September 2011.  The current pupil roll is 260.

How many pupils are there in each class?
Eventually there will be a maximum of 25 pupils per class with two classes per year group.

What is the ratio of international students at the school?
The current intake of pupils is approximately as follows: British 40%, Spanish 50%, Others 10%.

Which curriculum does the school follow?
The National Curriculum for England and Wales.

Are the teachers British?
All academic staff teaching the English National Curriculum are British teachers. Those teaching Spanish language and Conocimiento del Medio/Ciencias Sociales are qualified native Spanish teachers.

What language do the children speak in the playground?
This will probably depend on the ratio of Spanish pupils to other nationalities at the school. Pupils use English in class and are encouraged to speak English at all other times, but this is not a hard and fast rule.

Will my child learn Spanish at King's College?
All students at King’s College study Spanish. Spanish pupils are required to take a minimum number of Spanish classes per week, the frequency and number depending on their age. Non-Spanish speakers are taught Spanish as a foreign language at all ages.

What other languages are available?
From Year 7 pupils will learn French, and can take their studies up to (I)GCSE or as far as GCE A Level.

Is religion part of the curriculum?
As a multicultural school we introduce our students to different religions and cultures and teach them moral values based on Western Christian tradition but which tend to be common to all religions.

What sports are available?
Located as we are near the Mar Menor, and situated next to a golf resort, we hope to offer a wide range of sports, including golf, sailing, swimming, horse-riding. A full list of extracurricular activities will be published each term.

How much homework is set?
This depends on the age of the pupil.
As a general rule, in the Infant Department no homework will be set but pupils are expected to take reading books home to share with their parents.

In the Junior Department, from Year 3 onwards, pupils use a homework diary to note down any homework tasks they need to remember. They are expected to carry out about 1 – 1½ hours of homework per week.
By Year 6 pupils will have around half an hour of homework per day plus written work at the weekends. In addition to this, they are encouraged to read in both English and Spanish.

In the Secondary Department, pupils are set purposeful, relevant homework tasks on a regular basis.

In Years 7 to 9, the time allocated varies from one hour to 1 and a half hours of homework per night, with four homework assignments at the weekend. In Years 10 and 11 pupils are given approximately 2 hours homework per night with assignments at the weekend.

What examinations do students take at the school?
(I) GCSE (Cambridge) and GCE A Level, as well as the National Curriculum Key Stage tests (SATs).

Where do students go after finishing their studies at King's College?
Students finishing their education at King’s College Murcia will be expected to follow paths similar to those leaving King’s College in Madrid – to leading universities in Britain, Spain or elsewhere.

Typically, in the past, the majority of ex-pupils have entered British universities and a considerable number have been admitted to top institutions such as, Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College and LSE, amongst others. Other prestigious universities entered include Durham, St. Andrews, Edinburgh, York and numerous colleges belonging to the University of London.

Some pupils have preferred to attend Spanish universities (UAM, Complutense, ICADE-ICAI, etc.) and many others have decided to continue their higher education in other parts of the world and have gained entry to universities in the USA (Boston College, Harvard, MIT, New York, Princeton), Canada (McGill, Dalhousie, University of Toronto), Japan (Aoyama, ICU, Keio, Tokyo), as well as in Australia, Chile, Korea, Turkey, Venezuela, etc.

Is it possible to study at King's College for one term only?
The minimum time we can normally accept pupils is for one whole academic year. Note also however that the (I) GCSE courses in Years 10 & 11 and the A Level (As 6 A2) in Years 12 & 13 are integral 2 year programmes.  However, exceptions may be made to this.

How well do new international students adapt to the school?
Pupils at King’s Colllege are used to welcoming newcomers and on the whole are very friendly and helpful. The Heads of the different departments make sure that “buddies” are always on hand to show newcomers the ropes at first.

However, much depends in the attitude of the new student and how willing s/he is to make new friends and join in with the rest.

How do I go about applying for a place for my child?
The first step in the admissions process is to send in an application form which may be obtained from our web page or by contacting the Admissions Department directly.

The procedures for admission vary slightly according to the age of the candidate (see Admissions).

Infants are assessed by the Head of Early Years and generally invited into school for a session prior to admission, whilst Juniors and Seniors must take entrance examinations in Mathematics and English. School reports for the two years prior to entry are also taken in to consideration.

Does King's College accept students with little or no English?
We accept children with no English between the ages of 18 months and 4 years, as well as a number of children aged 5 or 6 during the initial years of the school’s opening . For a limited number of Primary pupils, between the ages of 7 and 9, we offer an "Induction English" programme. This is a special course for non-English-speaking newcomers of proven academic ability, whose entry to King’s College would otherwise not be possible. These pupils receive intensive English classes in very small groups and individual support is provided in mainstream lessons.

From age 10 onwards new pupils must have a very high level of English to enter the school.

Is school transport provided?
At an additional cost transport will be arranged along routes that include the main towns in the area. A full and comprehensive list of routes and collection points is shown under the transport heading.

Are school meals provided?
All children eat lunch at school. In fact, as part of the King’s College philosophy of encouraging good manners and acquiring social skills, it is required that the pupils should eat together. Healthy, nutritional school meals are provided, based on an international menu. The provision of lunches comws with an additional charge